A HEART THAT GIVES

Good day dear friends.

Let us be in prayer for a team from our church heading to Kansas
City for a Leadership Conference at The United Methodist Church of
The Resurrection. Pastor Leslie, Julie Lusby, Judy Allen, Sage
Allen, and Paul Mayhew will be attending this conference. Pray that
God share with them that which will continue to bless our church.

Here is our study guide for today.

Thursday: In Acts 10:2 we find an interesting man. Read his story
and see what sort of model he is to us. What does this man do that
can speak to you and your life? Is love involved in your giving?
If you're not the giving you know you need to be, what is holding
you back? What can God share with you to bring love in your life?

Here is that entire chapter in the NRSV:

1 In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the
Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2 He was a devout man who feared
God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people
and prayed constantly to God. 3 One afternoon at about three o'clock
he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in
and saying to him, "Cornelius." 4 He stared at him in terror and
said, "What is it, Lord?" He answered, "Your prayers and your alms
have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa for
a certain Simon who is called Peter; 6 he is lodging with Simon, a
tanner, whose house is by the seaside." 7 When the angel who spoke
to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier
from the ranks of those who served him, 8 and after telling them
everything, he sent them to Joppa. 9 About noon the next day, as
they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up
on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to
eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He
saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down,
being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all
kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 13
Then he heard a voice saying, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." 14 But
Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that
is profane or unclean." 15 The voice said to him again, a second
time, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." 16 This
happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.
17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the
vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius
appeared. They were asking for Simon's house and were standing by
the gate. 18 They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called
Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about
the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men are searching
for you. 20 Now get up, go down, and go with them without
hesitation; for I have sent them." 21 So Peter went down to the men
and said, "I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for
your coming?" 22 They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright
and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish
nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his
house and to hear what you have to say." 23 So Peter invited them in
and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them,
and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The
following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them
and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On
Peter's arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet,
worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, "Stand up; I am
only a mortal." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found
that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, "You yourselves
know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a
Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane
or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now
may I ask why you sent for me?" 30 Cornelius replied, "Four days ago
at this very hour, at three o'clock, I was praying in my house when
suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He
said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been
remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon,
who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner,
by the sea.' 33 Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have
been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence
of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say." 34
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God
shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and
does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he
sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he
is
Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in
Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went
about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in
Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a
tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to
appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as
witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the
dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that
he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in
him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." 44 While Peter
was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the
word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were
astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even
on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and
extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone withhold the water
for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as
we have?" 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

It was in Denver, Colorado, during a seminary year there, while
taking a course called "Super Bible," (which was a nice way of
saying we were to study the entire Bible in three quarters and it
would be taught by both a NT and OT professor) that the assignment
was given me to study this chapter and then meet with both
professors to discuss it. Being one of not too many persons of
color studying there, they were very interested to see what I
thought about this passage.

The chapter concerns the growth of the Jewish faith among non-Jews.
In this particular case, it was a Roman soldier and officer by the
name of Cornelius that has come to faith in God. His faith was one
of devotion and works. Verse two says that "He was a devout man who
feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the
people and prayed constantly to God." You can't ask for a better
Jew, Christian, or United Methodist! In this case, God hadn't yet
shared the Christian faith with him and he calls Peter to come and
share that with him. Peter's being a good Jew, knowing the laws of
social interaction well, is reluctant, but in a vision God shows
Peter that all people matter to God.

We can only imagine what became of Cornelius during the rest of his
life as a Christian. Being in a position of influence I'm sure he
shared this new faith with those in his command. This text also
says that many had come to assemble there to see what Peter had to
say and we can hope they too went and shared their faith.

Someone shared their faith with you and with me. Through the
prayers of faith of someone dear to you, you were touched and
blessed to become a person of faith. Someone has also tried to show
you how important a spiritual matter it is to give back to God, and
I would pray that if this message hasn't taken hold of your heart
that it would soon, if not right now. Cornelius gave out of the
love he had in his heart. He was only following the example of the
God we serve: A God who loves us so much He gives.

PRAYER: God of love and great gifts, give me a giving heart. Let me
be a person of love, the type of love that gives. I pray in Jesus'
name. Amen.

GOD'S TABLE

Good day dear friends,

Let us be in prayer for the needs we have in our hearts, minds and spirits.

Here is our study guide for today:

Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, remember what God has shared in your life. Take a look again at the insert shared with you called “God’s Table.” See if you can’t be blessed again by seeing just how much God freely shares with you.

GOD'S TABLE was a handout to help us focus on what God has shared with us. Using the imagery of the table found in Psalm 23, we wanted you to know that God's Table is full.

For Starters, how about:
A clear, blue sky
Laughter of a child
Comfortable shoes
A smile from a stranger
Live music in the air
The smell of outdoor cooking
A good night’s sleep

For Sides, how about:
A warm bed on a cold night
Friendly neighbors on the block
A loving, caring babysitter
Connecting to the words and melody of a song
Successfully completing a difficult task at school or work
Experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child

For the Main Course, why not:
Parenthood
Unconditional love
A clean bill of health
An answered prayer
Reconciling after a fight
Forgiveness in any form
Endless hugs from your mother
Endless praise from your father
Being on the receiving end of prayer
Waking up next to the love of your life
Sharing a meal with family and close friends
Growing together in a small group
Discovering your passion
Second chances
Safe travel

And the bottom of the menu said, "Continued on Reverse" and there were lines for us to complete "The House Specials," blessings of our own listing. Why not do that now and make that a part of your prayer of gratitude?

Blessings,

Have a great day!

e.v.

WE FIND IN GOD ALL GOOD THINGS

Good day dear friends. We continue our study of God's giving love and how it relates to us.

Here is our study guide for today:

Tuesday: Read Genesis 28:3-4. What is being given in this passage? Who is doing the giving? Who else is the giver involving? What do you receive from this passage? Can we petition God for blessings for our life? Can you share a blessing with your loved ones?

Here is that text in NRSV:

3 "May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and numerous, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien—land that God gave to Abraham."

This blessing is from a father to his son. The father is Isaac and the son is Jacob (Israel). Again, it is in a context of love that it is given. The love of this parent for child allows this blessing to be given. The other person being involved is God, for Isaac knew that it is in God that we find all things.

Can we petition God for blessings in our life? Of course. Can we share a blessing with our loved ones. Yes. Can we return to God a part of our blessing? Of course. Should we be a blessing for others? Yes, we should and we can.

PRAYER: God of all, make me a blessing for You. Let me learn to love like You love us all. Let me have that love that gives so that I can give back to You and to others. I pray in the name of He who gave all, Jesus my Lord. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

THE HAND OF GOD

It’s something we never want to experience ever again. The news began reporting the appearance of yet another tropical disturbance, then storm, then soon, hurricane, with the name Rita. On Monday night after it was discovered that it was bearing down on Texas, particularly Galveston, our son-in-law called a little after my bedtime. (And here’s a note of advice for you dads of daughters. Once your daughter begins seriously seeing a young man and you know it’s going that way of marriage, sell or give away your large vehicles that can be used for moving!) Eric asked if I could go with my Suburban to Galveston to pack up their most precious belongings. What can you tell the boy? Of course, Eric we’ll be there Tuesday night. Nellie and I decided it would be best for her to help Saraí with the packing and she could stay with her the night and travel with her to San Marcos. Eric being on the force at Galveston PD had to stay and work the storm. I asked Matthew, our college ministry coordinator if he wanted to come along our adventure. He agreed and after work we started off for Galveston. We packed their belongings and we asked Saraí if she didn’t want to come with us. She said she wanted to, but having a quiz and homework due the next day at U of H she couldn’t. Eric asked if Matthew and I wanted to spend the night. We declined and started back with their stuff and arrived at the church at around 3:30 a.m.

Wednesday, the nightmare began. Eric, Saraí, and Nellie started off for the university. The plan was for them to return back to the island after the last class (7 p.m.). The traffic said otherwise. They traveled thirteen miles in two hours. (For your information, Interstate Highway 45 begins in Galveston and mile marker 1 is one mile outside the city limits). While waiting and trying to exit, Eric called the university and they informed them that classes had been cancelled as of twelve noon. Thanks for sharing. Saraí called the campus police and they confirmed the same. About an hour later they were able to get off the traffic headed into Houston and began the trek back to Galveston. They eventually got back to the apartment and packed, said their goodbyes and started their way to San Marcos. Asking dad which route would be best, Dad thought highway 6 might be the least congested. Saraí thought the Beltway. The Beltway was closed and traffic was at a standstill. Long story short: It took them 26 hours of stop and barely go, traffic to reach the outskirts of Houston. I called them at 2:30 a.m. to see if perhaps they were already in Luling and was shocked to hear they were just still inside the Houston city limits. I called again at 5 and they hadn’t moved much. I felt guilty going to shower and enjoy my breakfast while I knew my wife and daughter were in a car running out of gas, with no air conditioning, no water, no place to use their restroom. Their conversations with me revealed that folks were not in very good moods and showed this in their lack of courtesy in driving. The entrance ramps were closed onto I-45 and police officers warned that to get back on would take them 90 miles. Their weariness was evident on the telephone, which we were neglecting to notice was running quickly out of power.

On Thursday, I made the decision to drive towards them to find them, take them water, take over the wheel and bring them back. I asked Kit Tomlinson if he would accompany me on this journey. Kit agreed and said we could travel best if we used his Pathfinder in case we needed to go off-road. We bought the water here in town thinking quite naively that within minutes we would find them and bring them cool refreshment and snacks. The girls had not eaten since leaving Galveston. We drove out on Highway 80 and saw that traffic coming into town was a bit heavier than normal. We also saw the incoming sign that gave instructions to evacuees on which direction to head with the implication that they should not stop here. We drove onto Luling and found that the entrance onto eastbound 10 was closed. The gentleman from TX DOT said we could try using Hwy 90 or the feeders. The traffic coming on westbound ten seemed to be moving fast. This was encouraging. We called Nellie and she said they hadn’t moved much. Using hwy 90 and the feeders we reached what we thought was the end of our eastbound jaunt, mile marker 725 near the Brazos River. The feeder onto ten goes under the bridge and back westward. We pulled off the road and stopped there and sought shade near the bridges. We were in constant communication with Nellie and Saraí, mostly text messages (for some strange reason all circuits were busy?), and they were not making progress. Our mathematician daughter calculated at the rate they were traveling they would travel 25 miles in fourteen and a half hours. Not an acceptable answer! Thank God Kit carries a Texas map with some farm road marked on there and after studying it carefully, and this after about five hours of waiting along that road, decides we can travel up using some of those small roads and see about getting to where they were. Saraí believed they were still in the Houston city limits approaching Katy. They were naming hotels and car dealerships, but we wanted mile markers but they weren’t traveling fast enough to get to any!

We drove off from San Marcos that morning with a full tank of gas. Thank God the convenience store had a special on bottled water and we got four bottles. We quickly finished our water and were thankful for short cooling breezes that would occasionally make their way to where we were. There were cars stopped all along the interstate and on the feeder. Kit offered to help several as did several for us, and no one seemed to need anything. One man, who will forever claim the prize for quick thinking under fire, was driving an older model Mercedes who had idled in Houston traffic for countless hours and once the traffic started moving faster, the acceleration chain had broken and now he could only idle. He found a piece of wire and tried to fix it that way, but couldn’t. He finally got a strap from his luggage and as Kit provided the color commentary in our vehicle said, “No way, don’t tell me that dude is going to use that strap to hand accelerate his car! He is!” And after about three hours of sitting there he was moving with his pulling on this strap running from under his hood, through his open passenger window! And off he roared! Kit and I applauded and gave him the thumbs up sign. We prayed for him and others who found themselves stranded or near stranded along this hot interstate highway.

Kit’s new plan took us to Katy after we got Saraí’s last message of her battery going quickly and that they had exited off onto Hwy 99 and didn’t know what to do. They were running out of gas, hadn’t gone to the bathroom since 7 a.m. that morning and were thirsty, hot, and hungry. Nothing like putting the pressure on Dad and Hubby. With both their cell phones dead the adventure changed into a more somber realization. With God knows how many cars trying to make their way out of Houston, how would we find them? I had that text message of Hwy 99 and from what Saraí had told us earlier it didn’t correspond to their location. I still had some battery left and I called Eric and told him that we couldn’t find them. I asked if he could pull police strings and have the Katy PD or the Texas DPS find them. I forgot to mention that Nellie was due for surgery at what I thought was 6 a.m. on Friday. Kit had labeled this journey a medical emergency. And it was now becoming one. I feared for Nellie and Saraí becoming dehydrated. I feared for their finding gas as we had discovered for ourselves that there was no gas to be found along the roads, even on those small farm roads. Where people believed there was gas there were lines that rivaled those on the interstate. We had parked under one of the I-10 bridges and walked up and down the feeder to see if we could see them. And all this time, we were seeing vans with sliding doors open, babies only in diapers, people all red from heat, and so many cars with their hoods up. We could only imagine what the damage was being done to the bodies of the humanity trying to make their way to safety. We prayed that all had water and food to keep them going. Kit and I had run out of the water we had bought for ourselves, having thought nothing of bringing along an ice chest to fill with ice and water for others. We hadn’t even thought about bringing extra gasoline in case we or Nellie needed.

Having used business 90 and feeders, we found ourselves on a Dead End feeder near a creek and several vehicles trying to get back onto I-10. The prospect of becoming a part of a parking lot did not appeal to us, so Kit used his flashers and “medical emergency” thinking to exit from the freeway after crossing the creek and onto a road that seemed like rancher only used. We went up this “road” to a Love’s Truck stop at mile marker 737 and saw the carnival setting of tired, hungry, gas-seekers. We asked the police officer at the corner of this intersection if he knew how we could get to Hwy 99. He told us we had already passed it four miles earlier. We drove up and down that highway once we found it and decided to go back to find gas. At certain points Kit would say, I know some people where we can spend the night. Not an option would reply the concerned husband. We need to find them and get them home now. Not adding to our peace of mind was the horrible service that my cell phone provider (and that’s a funny word for something almost nonexistent) has in some areas. And when I did get a spurt of service, I’d get the obnoxious tone indicating or the voice saying, “All circuits are busy right now, please try your call again later.”

Finally a voice message from Eric simply said, “They’re at mile marker 737 at a Love’s Truck Stop.” This voice message reached us as we’re headed away from there and in a situation of finding gas for ourselves. We didn’t want to get in line with the lines already formed at the stations where I believe only the promise of gas coming sometime after six hours was keeping those people there. We had about a quarter of a tank left. Kit estimated we had maybe fifty miles left with that amount of gas. In conversations with my oldest daughter who was at our home now, she kept asking if we had found Mom and Saraí and where we were. At one point we’re in a long line of traffic heading to Bellville. Nellie tells us the parents of one of her coworkers live there and they have a farm where we could spend the night. Not an option says I, we need to get Mom to surgery in the morning. I ask her to ask the parents if they know where we can find gasoline or if they have some for their farm equipment. Most of this was being done through text messaging for that seemed to be the only way my cell phone worked best. And even then these messages had to be two lines long only. One message said the grandmother of the coworker had owned a gas tank for all the equipment but she thought granny had sold it. But she would check. The line we were in was not moving. Kit suggested we go back and try another route, trying to head back to Columbus.

Out of the blue Kit’s phone rings and it is our church’s lay leader, Kelly Allison. I’m hearing only Kit’s reactions to this conversation and he says, “No way, you have gas, where are you?” It seemed something prompted Kelley to round up all the gas cans he could and to fill them with gasoline. He knew his family from Houston would be needing gas and so with six five-gallon cans filled with gas, he knew he could serve somebody. And thank God, Whose hand I know touched Kelly, that somebody could be us. Kelly was hiding out in Columbus, moving around from location to location. It was now dark, but people needing gasoline could smell the gas coming from the back of Kelly’s truck. He sought refuge first at the First Baptist Church, but people started circling around him and his son. They moved again. Kit said we would go back and find Nellie and Saraí then head to Columbus. He believed we had enough gas to drive to the Love’s gas station and then back to Columbus through the side roads and feeders.

We knew just how to get to the Love’s for the side street fed from the I-10 feeder right into Hwy 90. So from this side street we drove into what seemed like the parking lot for a carnival or rock concert. People from all walks of life, mostly stressed out, were parked around the gas pumps and side parking lots. Of course the store was closed out of fear for what angered, frustrated motorists would do at finding no gas and very little else. We saw old people, babies, dogs, cars with hoods up, people trying to make the best of the situation with picnics and parties. Once we parked I prayed asking God to lead me right to my wife and daughter. Nellie had said in the times we had talked, that Saraí said, “Everything will be all right once Daddy gets here, right Mommy?” It had been now about 24 hours since they had gone to the bathroom or had cool water to drink. The little water they had was almost finished and about as hot as the radiator in their car. I knew I couldn’t give up the search and that I had to find my wife and little girl. (Okay, she’s married, but when do they ever really grow up?). I went through the parking lot to my right and saw all kinds of cars and trucks. I was looking for a silver Honda Civic. This parking lot seemed to grow bigger as I walked along, especially because I wasn’t seeing who I wanted to see. I came to the end of the side parking and started walking towards the store, nada. I came to the end of that parking and started along the side facing the interstate. I finally saw my bride standing outside the car and I thanked the Lord. I ran up to her and hugged her and I looked inside and Saraí was just waking up and she starting crying, “Daddy, I knew you’d come for us.” She came out and we hugged and kissed and I started dialing Kit and Kit said, “I see you all, I’m coming right at you.”

They started sharing their story about how they had exited off onto Hwy 99 and didn’t where to find Hwy 90; they were almost completely out of gas and so coasted to this Love truck stop in hopes of finding gas. Saraí drove right up to a police officer and asked where they could find gas, the man said there was no gas anywhere. She then asked where she could find a phone and what was surely God touching this officer’s heart, he hands Saraí his cell phone and she called Eric. Kit may testify that I had said some cranky things including that I didn’t know how I would ever be contacted by phone but the one thing I hoped and prayed for was that my daughter would know her husband’s phone number by heart. She did. She was the one who called Eric after I had asked him to get an APB out for their car. Katy PD and the Texas DPS both had one out, which Eric cancelled right away. Kit moved Saraí’s car closer to where we had parked, while the three of us walked to the Pathfinder. We gave them the water we had bought early in the morning which because they had been mostly under the seat were a bit cooler than theirs had been. We had brought them snacks and these were not even touched. What they both ate were the peanut butter crackers. We knew that at midnight Nellie could no longer eat nor drink anything. Our daughter Nellie had managed to find the surgeon’s home number and warned her that her mom might be dehydrated in the morning, but the doctor said they would check that once she was in. I dialed Eric’s phone from my phone and then his mom; all had been frantic about this episode.

We decided we could not leave this new car in this setting. We would drive to Brookshire and see if there was gas there. We knew of course, there would not be. We came to a gas station where the line was not too big and that was because there was no gas. The promises of tankers going up and down I-10 with gasoline never materialized. The promises of state trucks with bottled water coming up and down I-10 were never realized, at least not by my family. We had driven up and down this portion of Hwy 90 that we knew exactly where the Brookshire police department was, so we left the car right across the street. For good measure I left my business card on the dashboard in hopes that the tow truck driver, if he was to come, would be a Christian or a UM and leave the car alone. We transferred their luggage to the Pathfinder and drove on to Columbus using the feeder along I-10. God’s hand was on us and with us, for the traffic on the feeder was almost nonexistent. At the first exit to Columbus there was a bottleneck because an 18 wheeler was challenged by a Cadillac to see who was the stronger of the two vehicles as the big rig exited off the freeway and the Caddy didn’t want to yield, but using his flashers and driving skills, Kit maneuvered right past this gridlock onto the exit. With keen eyes we saw a street called Old Hwy 90 which took us way past another line of cars back onto the highway and soon we got Kelly on the phone and found his new location immediately across the street from the Columbus Volunteer Fire Department. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, ten gallons of gasoline made their way from two of the cans into our vehicle. Several folks passed by and glanced in our direction wondering if their eyes weren’t failing them, but wasn’t that gasoline being transferred between vehicles? Kelly said he would move as soon as we left and keep trying to find a safe place to park while their family arrived from Houston.

We drove all of Hwy 90 back into Luling. No real traffic to speak of. Some idiots behind the wheel at small town intersections would decide that the left turn lane would be the perfect additional lane to right side gas lines. But quick maneuvering got us around them. We drove into San Marcos at 3:38 a.m. Somewhere along the drive, Kit was tired and stopped so I could take the wheel. I dreamed I drove I four-on-the-floor Pathfinder from that stop right to the church where I had left my car, thanking God all the way!

We arrived home, and I asked Nellie if her surgery was at six. No, she said, it’s not until eleven and they want me there by nine. Nine sounded great so I set the alarm for eight. At 7:33 the hospital called and said, “We want your wife here as soon as she can get here!” Great. Off we went.

Nellie could have slept through the operation without the assistance of anesthesia, but she doesn’t even remember getting the sleepy medicine. Dear sister Pat Ray came to “hold the pastor’s hand” and kept me company for a good part of the time I was waiting for any news about the surgery. Rev. Merlin Starr, the hospital chaplain came and prayed with Nellie prior to the surgery and came to check on me as well. These two were very comforting to me. The surgery was a success and my three daughters came to be with me when they could and we all got to see Mom when she was taken to her room. Her having a private room made it possible for me to stay, I won’t say sleep there, for every hour on the hour the light would come on and the vital signs were checked. By eleven o’clock we were home. After lunch, Saraí asked if we could get her car back sometime. Now is as good as even and we left at 1:00 p.m. We found the traffic in Luling backed up for ten miles (we were right by the sign!). This would have been a good time to turn back, but I knew the back roads!

We had her car home, safe and sound, by 7 p.m.

God’s hand was on us and with us. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, HE GAVE.

Good day dear friends. It's wonderful to see life returning to normal somewhat, for some; for others life will never be the same after two major hurricanes. Our prayers for those still displaced and separated from loved ones. Our prayers of thanksgiving for families being reunited. Our prayers for safe travel for those who are and will be making their trips home.

Our personal thanks to all who prayed for our situation and Nellie's surgery. She's recovering at home after spending Friday night in the hospital. Our special thanks to those who came by and those who brought food to the house. May the Lord continue to bless you! I will share our "adventure" on my blog sometime later.

Yesterday our sermon was entitled, "For God So Loved the World He Gave," and it centered on the attitude behind that famous verse, God loves, so God gives. We'll continue our study of that this week.

Here is our study guide for today:

Monday: Read Genesis 2:4b-15. Make a list of what God gave to the new creatures. What did God expect in return? How have God’s blessings affected your life? How have you returned a blessing to God?

Here is the above text from the NRSV:

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

I'll share a simple list, you may have more or less of what I read from this passage. First we see God giving us the earth. Not quite formed in the way God wanted, but enough to support humans. God gave us life. After forming this first man from the ground, God breathes life into him. Then God gives the man a place to live, a garden where every possible food source is provided from the trees. God also planted a symbol of life in the midst or some say, middle of the garden, along with a tree that could give humans the wisdom to tell the difference between good and evil. Then the man is taken to this garden, which has rivers flowing through it and told "to till it and keep it."

Our God is a God of love. God desires a relationship with us. And our God has the type of love that gives. No where in this story do we find God asking for anything in return for what God gives, except to be in relationship. Out of our love we should be seeking ways to return to God that love that God deserves, as well as our obedience and trust. For those of us who have seen children grow up before our very eyes when they've decide on their own to give us something, it is a great day and one feels so special and blessed. It seemed our girls each reached a point where they would be nursing on a bottle and they'd stop and point it to us like, "you want some?"

Our God is a God who gives. The most powerful and best known verse of scripture is John 3:16. God loves the world so much that Jesus Christ was given to us to save us and bring us life. We know this verse so well, we tend to overlook the giving part of it. God loves you and me so much, Christ was offered for you and me. God loves us so much God gives.

For many churches this is stewardship season when we take stock of what God has shared with us and we begin to make plans for the coming church year. Some churches have stewardship campaigns, others simply remind their members to give. Keep this in mind as your church comes to you: You are a child of a God who loves you and has given to you. What can you do to return your love? Please be in honest prayer about all you have and all you know you need to return, with love, to God. This is a time to move up in faith, if you're not yet tithing, to become people who give to the Lord.

PRAYER: God of love and good gifts, we praise you and thank you for all you have shared with us. I thank you for Jesus Christ who came to show us the better way and gave His life for me. I pray that I woulc continue to be a person who grows and gives. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

CHILDREN OF CONSEQUENCE

Good day dear friends.

It's been almost fourteen (14) hours and Nellie and Sarai are still in the Houston city limits! Please pray for their patience and protection as they've finally made it onto I-10 and are making their way back to San Marcos. Pray for Eric and all of the public safety personnel that have stayed on the island of Galveston. Pray for courtesy to reign in the hearts and steering wheels of those making the exodus. Sarai says that folks just don't want to let them back onto the freeway and it takes one courteous person to finally let them back on. As you can imagine store owners have been rude and reluctant to let folks use their bathrooms. Gas is at a premium and hard to find. Radio reports say that once they get to Columbus the travel speeds up a bit. Pray for those who have chosen to ride out the storm.

We ask prayers for the Holtermann family on the death of Emma Holtermann. Pray for Nellie, who undergoes major surgery tomorrow here at CTMC. This has added to the stress of being in a parking lot.

We continue our stewardship studies based on the Skittles Friendly environment. Here is our study guide for today:

Thursday: In Acts 5:1-11 we find a frightening story. Read that story and compare that with verse 9 of Malachi 4. The word “curse” is, as we discussed Sunday, more a consequence than it is a direct bad action from God towards us. If you had been present at this event how would you have reacted? Would you have been among the ones who “had all things in common,” or among those that hadn’t yet committed (like Ananias and Sapphira)? How are you living now?

Here is that passage from NRSV:

Acts 5:1 But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; 2 with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

This passage comes immediately after we read that the new believers were "of one heart and soul." United in their faith of Christ Jesus, these folks held nothing back from God and from each other. Among that group is this married couple who for selfish reasons decide they will do like the rest in selling their possessions and report back only a part of the sale to keep some of the proceeds for themselves. Was this a violation of the common spirit of having "all things in common?" Was this in keeping faithful fellowship? Their option was to keep their property for themselves or to sell their property and kept all the money. But to try and decieve God and the Christian fellowship was another matter. These two tried to have the both of both worlds: charity and selfishness and as they soon found out, these two do not work. One is either lovingly charitable or one is self-centered and selfish. To be a Christian is to be one wholeheartedly committed to Christ and Christ's church. To be a part of the fellowship is to vow to be among those who will support every part of the work of Christ and not to hold back in the name of taking care of themselves or their family. Their death was a result of the consequences they knew they were risking by trying to fool God and God's people. Both fell dead in the presence of the believers.

Even today, though we think such a thing of people falling dead could not happen, we do see there are both kinds of folks. Those who very lovingly towards God commit themselves and all that they have for the good of God's work among us. These are the givers and tithers. And we also have those who have a list of reasons why they cannot tithe or even give beyond a "tip." These are they who think they are fooling God and the Church. These are the one who may find the consequences of their actions a surprising thing.

Friends, if we pledge/vow to be a Christian and a member of God's church, let's take seriously our vows. If you can't follow the vows then be in prayer about changing your attitude and coming to the place where you very honestly know God wants you to be. It's your call.

PRAYER: God of truth, speak to us as we need to come face to face with who we are. Let us be the persons whom you want us to be. Let us with joy and love live the Christian life. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

RENDERING UNTO GOD

Good day dear friends.

As we continue to pray for those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina, we add to our prayers those who are in the path of Hurricane Rita. Our son-in-law who works for Galveston Police Department says a voluntary evacuation of the island begins today with forced evacuation coming perhaps a day or so later. Please be in prayer for all who might suffer this new storm. Pray that families not be separated, nor lives lost.

We continue our study of stewardship as found in a "Skittles-Friendly Environment."

Here is our study guide for today:

Tuesday: Read Matthew 22:15-22. Here we find yet another of the traps set for our Lord by the Pharisees. Being nationalists to Israel but under Roman domination, they wanted to find out where Jesus stood politically thus the trap: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Read Jesus’ answer, but note carefully His reference to God. The negative views we might have towards paying our taxes should have no bearing on sharing with God what is His.

Here is that text:

Matthew 22: 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" 21 They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

It may have been approaching the Roman equivalent of our April 15th, the day we are supposed to "render unto Caesar." The trap seems like a good way to find out all about Jesus. In asking the question the Pharisees believed they could find out who he was in relation to their occupied political state; "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" A true Zionist, one who believed in the independence of Israel even under the rule of Romans would have said no, the only law is the law of God and all should be done to restore that law. A Herodian might have answered yes, for we are subjects of the emperor and all the benefits we have come from our funding the Pax Romana. Jesus asks them for a coin, specifically one used to pay the tax which was a denarius. He then asks them, "Whose head is on this coin, and what is his title again?" The denarius, of course, bore the likeness of Caesar and so there was only one way the Pharisees could answer and so they said, "The emperor's." Jesus then replies to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."

With that simple answer Jesus addressed giving. To remain a free subject of Rome, whether you were a Roman citizen or not, if you lived within the boundaries of Roman rule, you had to pay the tax. We know from Jesus' parables and from the presence of Matthew in their midst that the Roman government had set up an effective method of collecting taxes and while it may have given rise to corruption, the tax was still paid. What Jesus may have known is that reluctance to pay the pay may have also reflected a more serious reluctance in giving to God what was God's. Yes, we can argue Jesus was not only talking about money, but He still mentioned giving to God.

What is your attitude towards giving? I believe most of us are born with a self-preservation mode, that of securing for ourselves what we need. As we grow and mature we are (or should be) taught to share and to give. I heard from one of the youth that after church one of the youths had her unopened bag of Skittles and her father, who had already consumed his, wanted some of hers. She responded, and you get the feeling she might not have heard or understood the message, "No, these are mine. Get your own!" Thankfully, she was in youth group later that day and this topic came up again. Are we still living out of relationship with God that tells God, "No, this money is mine. Get your own!"? I pray not. You're missing out on so much!

PRAYER: Come, gracious Giver of all good things and share with me that good relationship that can be mine if I walk and trust You. Let me see that I should be all about giving, so that blessings to Your kingdom would be my blessings as well. I pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

TOBY VALVERDE (Pet member of the family)

Our house is not the same this morning as we received news from our vet that our second oldest cat, Toby, died of liver failure. Quite honestly we've taken the news hard and many have been the sobs heard here and on the phone lines with our daughters. We're not even looking forward to sharing this with Caty as Toby was her cat, given to her by her oldest sister for Christmas some years ago. Toby was the most loving of the cats with his own in-yer-face-love-me-cuz-I'm not moving from here. And that meant jumping on whoever happened to be sitting on HIS sofa or rocker recliner. If that happened to be me, he would just jump on me and lay on top of me and would soon be heard snoring with that soft snore of his.

Toby claimed the king-sized bed in our bedroom as his, having slept with us just two nights ago, getting between Nellie and myself or moving to my side closest to the phone as if he were expecting a call.

He was called to love us and to protect the other cats. If Lucy, our outdoor dog came in for her nightly walk, Toby would rush between Lucy and the other cats and growl and hiss and make a menacing move towards Lucy as if to say, "You have to go through me to get to Buttercup or Jack!"

His last night with us he knew he was being called home. He had gone outside and layed down next to Lucy in the warmth of the sun and didn't want to come it. It was Caty who carried him in and he came to sleep in our bathroom. When I got up for church Sunday morning he was sleeping on our rug outside our shower door. After I showered and was dressed I found him inside our shower, which was quite a feat for his being sick and all, for we have a deep shower. When we came home after church he was still there and that's when I called Dr. House.

We thank the Lord for Toby. He was a loving, gentle, even obedient cat. He would come whenever he was called. And when his body gave out, God called him home.

We love you and miss you, dear Toby.

CREATING A SKITTLES-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

Good day dear friends.

We had a wonderful Sunday yesterday as we praised God, God blessed us, and we received five new members! God is good!

We thank God for our artisans. We had our local artists display their talents with our visitors and this made our Open House month even more special.

We pray this morning for those facing surgery. Our sister Jessica Homesly is having surgery at the Surgical Center this morning at about 7 a.m. We continue to lift up Beth Yolland who is fighting her last battle with cancer. May the Lord grant her peace during this difficult moments. May He be with her husband and family.

Our sermon was on Malachi 3:7-10 on the tithe. The title of the sermon was the same as this morning's devotional. It was based on a story shared by a pastor who went to a game with his daughter, then about ten or so, and he gave her five dollars to buy a snack. She returned with a bag of Skittles and he asked her for some and she hid the bag and said, "No! These are mine, get your own!" He thought to himself, "Doesn't she realize I gave her those Skittles? Doesn't she know that if I wanted to, I could take away those Skittle from her? I could also buy her cases of Skittles so she could eat so many of them she would get sick of Skittles! Or I could see to it that as long as she lived under my roof she would not see another bag of Skittles. (Being a pastor he knew this would be an illustration) Then it occurred to him that we're sometimes just like that with God especially when it comes to money. We think we can tell God, "This is mine, get your own," when we don't realize that all that we have is God's, not ours. Every participant in worship received a bag of Skittles to further illustrate this point.

We continue that study with our study guide for today:

Monday: Read Genesis 4:1-16. This contains references to the first offerings to God and sadly, the first murder. Could that murder have been tied in to the giving between these two brothers. Why or why not?

Here are selected verses from that passage:

3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.

This was shared in the sermon yesterday: Cain and Abel were the first sons in the Genesis story. Both raised by the same parents. Both taught to worship God and to return to God in the same way. Yet when it was time for this first offering, notice Cain bring "an offering," and Abel brought "the firstlings...their fat portions." While scholars might argue, well this is just the classic battle between farmers and shepherds, let's just study the offering. Abel's heart showed a relationship of trust and obedience to God while Cain was more of an obligation offering. The implication is almost that Cain brings an afterthought, leftovers if you please, to God's table. Abel, it seems, cannot do enough to show his love towards his God. And this carries over into their relationship as well. Cain, because of this snub by God in regards to the offering, is angry at God and at Abel and God realizes this and tries to deal with it, but the only solution as far as Cain is concerned is to murder his brother. Thus the first murder in the Bible is fratecide, the murder of brother by brother. Could this have been tied in to the offering?

I believe it was, because the way we approach our giving and living towards God is centered on our relationship or lack therof, with God. Those who love and walk with God, don't think twice about tithing. The relationship of trust says, "God will and has already, provided, I will return to God what is God's." Those who want to fight with God will say, "This is mine, get your own!" As we told our neighbor yesterday, you can fight with God, God is big enough, but we aren't going to win. And another awesome truth: We can't outgive God!

PRAYER: God of good, bring me into full relationship with You. Let me trust You for all that I need. Let me praise You for all that I already have and let me share with You, that which is Yours. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

Blessings,

e.v.

GOD DESIRES RELATIONSHIP!

Good day dear friends.

We enjoyed a great fellowship time last night during Fall Happenings. Great food, a great time in worship, and a chance to attend one of many great classes. It's not too late to join us next Wednesday.

We continue our study on stewardship and Pastor Leslie's "Power of a Penny" sermon.

Here is our study guide for today:

Thursday: Please find Deuteronomy 28:1-14. This commandment speaks positively about what God does provide as we see the people of God preparing to enter into the promise given them by God. Notice what would be theirs if they “obeyed the Lord.” As you’ve lived your life, what has been the hardest thing about obeying God and God’s commandments for your life? Can you make a decision for God to richly bless you by changing your life today for the better? Read the words of the above passage again. This second time let it be a teaching of love from God directly to your heart. See if these things don’t change your perspective towards life.

Here is that passage in the New Revised Standard Version:

28:1 If you will only obey the Lord your God, by diligently observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth; 2 all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the Lord your God: 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, both the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7 The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. 8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. 10 All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 11 The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head, and not the tail; you shall be only at the top, and not at the bottom—if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, by diligently observing them, 14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I am commanding you today, either to the right or to the left, following other gods to serve them.

As much as well-meaning dads may want, they can't share their rules about the house until their children are old enough to understand. As strict as I may have rememberd the dad of my childhood, I know him to be a loving man. For the first years of my life I can't say I remember much other than being protected and loved. Yes, like most, I went through a teenage period where I believed I knew it all and certainly more than my dad; but now I know what great wisdom and love my dad has. In the same way, the passage above is a passage about relationship. Yes, the commandments outline boundaries and those can be seen as restrictive, but viewed in relationship with God, these are protective. And being in relationship with God you read the promises of blessings that would be Israel's if they stayed obedient.

Has it been difficult for you to trust God? Are you in a spiritual "teenage period?" Do you belive you know more than God or that you're beyond obeying what God is asking? That's fine. Just don't stay there. Mature in your faith and move towards the fine, loving relationship God desires to have with you.

Read the passage again, now as a love letter from God to you.

PRAYER: Gracious, all-knowing and all-loving God, speak to my heart. Let maturity be mine as I enter into relationship with You. I seek to be Yours in all things, especially in the area of my money and possessions. I pray that I would always and everywhere realize that what I have, I have because of You. Speak Your truth to me today as I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

WHAT KIND OF KEY DO YOU HOLD?

Good day dear friends.

We continue our study of The Power of a Penny. I found out that the free penny you were supposed to receive was not distributed, so, imagine you did get a penny Sunday in worship!

As we pray, continue to pray for those being relocated after the hurricane. Also for those either recovering from or facing surgery. Ruth Phillips underwent successful neck surgery in Austin. Edna Moon is facing eye surgery. God is good, all the time!

Tuesday: Read Exodus 22:22-29. Please notice how in the same passage about widows, the commandments are addressing financial situations as well. Could Jesus’ witnessing of this widow’s actions in her giving her all be a fulfillment of what we associate with this passage?

I'm glad you're reading this online and not doing this study guide straight from the sermon insert (and I'm going to guess you who were in church Sunday did get an insert...) because, the correct passage is from Exodus and the sermon insert said Genesis and that took our non-online readers to a passage that I am sure will make them wonder, "What was Pastor Leslie/Eddie thinking about?"

Here is that correct passage from Exodus:

22 You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. 23 If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; 24 my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans. 25 If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. 26 If you take your neighbor's cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; 27 for it may be your neighbor's only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbor cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate. 28 You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people. 29 You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

What are your earliest memories about money? Do you have a vivid recollection about receiving money or understanding the power of money? For many kids during my era of growing up, to have placed a coin in their hand was to hand them a key that could unlock some wonderful things. I'm talking about the days when a quarter could buy, and yes, I'm old!, admission to the movie theatre (no videos/DVDs or video games at home) 10 cents, a soda, 5 cents, popcorn, 10 cents. That quarter could keep your children occupied all day Saturday because the theatre wasn't cleared out after each showing. One could sit in a really nice cold darkened theatre (we're talking Kingsville HOT here) and memorize the movie. To do that now you'd have to hand your child about twenty-five dollars and still they'd gripe they wouldn't have enough!

God cares about us. God cares about those who lack. God understands that many people on the face of the earth do not have the same "key" as others. God's concern is evident in this passage as He shares commandments about how we should treat each other. The abuse of a widow was not to be tolerated. The financial abuse of others also was not to be tolerated either. God knows that for some this "key" imprisons them, locking them in a cell of greed and self-centeredness. The key cannot open the door, it only seems to lock more doors as we journey away from freedom into complete slavery.

Jesus spoke more about money and possessions than about any other spiritual thing. Jesus knew the power of this key to corrupt and ruin. When He saw the widow sharing the last of her livelihood with God, Jesus saw someone knowing the true power of that key and she used it to walk into a new life of faith and trust with God.

Again, there is no commandment against our being rich. To have lots of money is not a sin. The sin comes when the money possesses us and we hoard it and hold it and withhold it from doing the things God could use with it. Those who are blessed with riches and know they can bless others with same are the richest people there are. Jesus spoke of the difficulty in serving two masters, God and money.

Who's your true master?

PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus, and share with us the wisdom of how to best use the blessings that come our way. Let us mature in our faith to being those who know how to live life in the fullest. Release from their prisons those who are locked up tightly by their own design. And keep us from falling into the same prisons. We pray in Thy name. Amen.

Have a great and wonderful day!

Blessings,

e.v.

CAN YOU GIVE YOUR ALL?

Good day dear friends.

Our thanks to Pastor Leslie Tomlinson who preached yesterday. We were in Galveston, where we worshipped with our daughter and son-in-law at the church they visit, Moody Memorial UMC. This weekend we saw Carli off for her fall semester in Granada, Spain. She arrived safely, and should be in her host family's home today. There's nothing like trying to sleep knowing your baby is on a plane flying as you sleep. Thank God for traveling mercies.

The Power of a Penny was the title of Pastor Leslie's sermon. The plan was to give every worshipper a brand new penny. We special ordered these from our bank and I trust they arrived and that they looked new. Sadly, there is very little, if anything, that one penny alone can buy. Merchants that do have penny specials do so, usually at a loss. I'm old enough to remember penny candy and even then it wasn't the kind you really wanted. Leslie's sermon focused on Jesus' witness of the widow who put in "all she had." May that penny gift from your church remind you of the power behind everything: the power of faith, the kind of faith that trust God in all things.

Here is our study guide for today:

Monday: Reread the passage from the Gospel shared yesterday. Imagine yourself in the social situation of a widow. Remember the widow’s needs were beyond our comprehension today. If she had no family to care for her, her options were very limited. Consider her faith in sharing all she had to the treasury at the Temple. How does that speak to your heart? Have you ever had an impulse to share in that same manner?

Here is that passage in NRSV:

12:41 He (Jesus) sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

This weekend I saw my first episodes of a tv program called "Lost." I hadn't watched this because I thought it was some sort of reality show, where people were marooned on a deserted island and had to act out what would happen if they had crashed on this island and survived. Our oldest, Nellie, bought the entire first season on DVD and said, "This is my new 'X-Files.'" This coming from one of the biggest fans of that old show. So, I decided I would watch the pilot espisode and see if I liked it. I got hooked. It's a dramatic show about a plane coming from Australia back to the states, that crashes on this island. Their radio had broken about an hour before the crash and the pilot realized they were about a thousand miles off course. About forty-seven people survived and these hope that within hours a rescue plane or boat will come for them. No such luck, that would make for a short season and series. I'm at the point where the decision has to be made if they stay on the beach to be seen by rescue people of move to a cave where there's fresh water. This after realizing they only had so much bottled water left from the wreckage. It does make you think, what would I do if I were in the same situation? Here money means nothing. Survival means everything. Being saved from this island setting is the desire of all who survived the crash.

I pray none of us ever lose everything in a crash or overnight. But it can happen. Such may have been the plight of this widow in Jesus' story. She lost her husband and she may not have had any family. She found herself at the mercy of friends and neighbors and even there we're assuming a lot. Jesus knew from her act of faith that she had given all. Quite a contrast between those tossing in their huge offerings into the metal receptacle of the Temple. This made for a loud noise. The louder the happier the priests may have been. And it would seem like a way to pass an afternoon, to sit nearby and to see who would contribute and who wouldn't. And here comes this lady, and we're presuming she's old, who puts in two copper coins, and the King James version calls them 'mites.' And the two together add up to a penny. And Jesus said, this is all she had to live on.

Did this mean the woman gave up on life and was ready to die? No. It meant this woman knew Who controls and shares everything, and in her worship of God, surrenders her all to Him. She knew that worship involved more than just showing up at Temple, though that was important. It meant more than just doing what others did while in worship. She knew that she had to be faithful to the teachings of her Bible in giving to God as a sign of faith and obedience. It may have been this woman felt blessed and loved by God to the point where she said, "God I thank you so much for loving me, that I'm giving you my all." She walked away blessed beyond her wildest dreams. She walked away from poverty into the fullness of life. The steps leading to the treasury were not to be compared to the steps she took away from there. Some of us kick and scream all the way, full of doubt and fear about parting with our money. This lady walked to God's treasury with love and trust. And she walked away fully blessed and embraced by God.

How does this speak to your heart? Can you follow God's leading into becoming like this woman to trust God more?

PRAYER: God of all things, and Giver of all things, give to me that faith like that widow, to love and trust You like never before. For it is in knowing, loving, trusting and being faithful to You that we receive the greatest blessings of our life. Let that be me today and all days. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

THE GIVER OF OUR STENGTH

Good day dear friends. As we pray we lift up those still awaiting rescue from their situation and for those being resettled in different areas. We pray for the reunion of loved ones separated during the hurricane. Pray also for those facing custody hearings today, that God's will be done in the best interest of the children.

We continue our study of triumphant living as Christ's disciples:

Here is our study guide for today:

Thursday: The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:10-13 some words for triumphant living. Read that passage and see how it can speak to you and your situation. Underline verse 13 and let that verse speak to you and where you know God wants you to be. A triumphant Christian is one with a positive attitude towards life’s challenges. Reread the verses again and take note of how God can bless you with an overcomer’s attitude to win over life’s challenges.

10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. 11 Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

A modern day "Paul" has to be Christian Brother Yun of China. I highly recommend his book, "The Heavenly Man." We take for granted so many of our liberties and freedoms as Christians. We cry when we get a "paper cut" for the sake of the Lord, and if you read this book you will see what some have to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Paul's words to us in Philippians speak loudly about the importance of having our attitude inspired by our faith. "In the Lord" (v.10) says that as we walk in the Lord we "rejoice" and learning "to be content with whatever I have" also comes from being Christ's companion. Paul, like many of us, knew what it means to have little and plenty, being well-fed and hungry, of having plenty and being in need. And what a declaration to say trimphantly, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

What are your challenges today? What seems more than you can bear? Let Paul's words be yours: YOU can DO ALL things through Christ who gives YOU strength!

PRAYER: Giver of all strength, share with me that which I need today. You know better than I that which I am facing, and at my weakest, You are strongest. Come and be glorified! I pray in Jesus' name. Amen

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

WHERE IS OUR TRUST?

Good day dear friends.

We continue our study into the mark of being triumphant both here and now and then and there, meaning, living a life fully entrusted to the Lord now and when called into the presence of the Lord we can continue to trust that God is there for us.

Here is our study guide for today:

Tuesday: Read Psalm 20. Read each word with the faith that inspired David to write each one. Read it as a letter of hope from home. Given all we’ve seen from our sisters and brothers from New Orleans and the other states hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, what would God have you share after reading this passage?

1 The Lord answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. (Selah) 4 May he grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill all your plans. 5 May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. 6 Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand. 7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright. 9 Give victory to the king, O Lord; answer us when we call.

This was my grandfather's favorite passage from the Bible. His favorite verse from this Psalm was verse 7. In Spanish it read right into his heart. In Spanish "chariots" could be heard and translated as "cars," so it spoke to him; "Some trust in cars, others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

David's faith was a living faith. Every word he wrote he had experienced. Not everything is positive because that's just how life is. But in the ups and downs of life, God is the same, God's power and presence is constant. And in the ebb and flow of life it makes sense to hold onto that which can steady us and hold us and keep us from going off into the deep.

Given all that we've seen this past week and what we will continue to see from the devastation of the Gulf states, we will have opportunities to share with so many our faith in He who remains the same in spite of what life has brought our way. Be triumphant in sharing your triumphant faith. Remind all that we may have misplaced our trust at times in things that are no longer here, but God will always be here and there, now and then.

PRAYER: O God of constant love and stength, speak to us right now those words we need, especially as we help others make sense of what has happened and changed our world. Let our faith be a triumphant one, that shares with others the conviction that You are always with us and that You never change. Use us as we pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day.

e.v.

A TRIUMPHANT CHRISTIAN PUTS LOVE INTO ACTION!

Good day dear friends.

We had an awesome Sunday! The combining of services at 11 was a blessing, though I'm sorry it affected a couple with medical reasons; but comments from the folks who shared with me and others ranged from "Why don't we do this every Sunday" to "Let's do it again soon!" We thank the Lord for this opportunity to have been together in God's House in one room to praise God. Thanks to all who were present and to all who took part.

We concluded the series on The Marks of a Disciple with this last sermon being on what it means to be Triumphant. For those who had been following along online, every Sunday since day one of the series, the worshippers were given first a cord, then a different colored bead, then told how to put the beads together and with the two beads received yesterday we formed a cross. If you had trouble putting it together please come by the church office and see either Katrina Allison or Julie Lusby; they'll help you form your cross.

And our thanks to Dr. Robert Hall, Austin district superintendent, who came to worship with us. Robert and his wife came to see what we were doing for the Hurricane Katrina evacuees. He may have seen our gym set up to receive those who needed housing, but would have been impressed with the stacks of boxes and bags filled with health kits. IN a couple of hours, volunteers will be at the church to drive those down to San Antonio. We were told by UMCOR that our doing that would save shipping costs from Baldwin, LA to San Antonio. Again, so many churches, so many church members from across the area. I didn't mention the Kyle and even Victoria churches who brought materials to us. Praise God!

A special note of thanks to the Jack Hughes Class who donated some cash money to the Gumbs, our evacuee family, and who offered the use of a 2-bedroom apartment while they complete their move here. Bill and Linda Pennington have offered their apartment until the family can find work and can get their own apartment. Others have come forward wanting to do something and we're thankful to all.

Here is our study guide for today:

Monday: Use today as a chance to review the different marks of a disciple as shared during the sermon series. Reread the passage from Ephesians and the one from Matthew. Which area of the Ephesians passage spoke to your heart? Which area seems the one needing the most “work.” Where do you believe you’re strongest? In the “here and now” or the “there and then?”

Here are those passages: Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. NRSV

Matthew 25:21"His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ NIV

Our list of marks for a disciple included these: Committed, Disciplined, Obedient, Compassion, Courage, Faithfulness, Purity, Perseverant, Bold and Triumphant. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it got us thinking about where we need to be as Christ's disciples. We need to be people of action, love and service. We need to be Christ's witnesses and ambassadors. Each of the mark stands on its own but when working together with the rest lead us to what we discussed yesterday, being triumphant sons and daughters of the most high.

At both services we were delighted to see the two "soldiers" who "volunteered" to be dressed with the armor. Each of the pieces of this armor represents an area of our life that God can protect through our faith and as well-armored and faithful soldiers, we can be triumphant. Read the passage from Ephesians again and realize all that God makes available to us: Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, the Word, and salvation. We've been given all these to lead us from death and destruction to life and that in fullness. What's holding you back from enjoying these?

PRAYER: God of good gifts, thank you for the whole armor you offer to us. Let me today decide to receive it all, for I can be weak in all areas of my life but I want to be strong. Come and bless me and let me be a blessing to others. I pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and triumphant day!

e.v.

Counting the Days!

Carli Ilsa is awaiting her departure for Spain!

ROOTED IN BOLDNESS

Good day dear friends.

We continue our prayers for those in the hurricane devastated areas, especially those now homeless, orphaned, hungry, thirsty, etc. Pray for those who are being moved from the Superdome to the Astrodome that they may travel safely and be well taken cared of. As we get word of opportunities in which we can serve we will pass that along. If you did not get the email about medical personnel that the State of Texas is seeking for emergency service, please call the church office and we will share that information with you.

A special prayer this morning for Chris Leal as she is to deliver her baby this morning. Pray for Ralph and Jake as they await their new family member. She is at CTMC here in town.

Here is our study guide for today:

Thursday: James wrote a letter that though short in length, is deep in the profoundness of what God inspired him to share. Read chapter one and pay close attention to knowing that boldness is rooted in wisdom and notice what he says in v. 5. Then in verses 16-21 we find more instruction on how to share those things that people need to know the saving love of Jesus Christ.

Here is verse 5: "If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you."

Here are verses 16-21:"16 Do not be deceived, my beloved. 17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls."

Boldness is all about saving lives in Jesus Christ. The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit was not to make Peter a great preacher nor the disciples look good. It was to save people. It was to invite them into a life-renewing, life-changing, life-saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The boldness given Peter and John before the Sanhedrin was precisely for the same reason. God wants you to be in relationship with Him. Boldness is what God shares with the already saved to bring more in to God's kingdom.

Boldness will come with wisdom. You will know exactly when God can and will use you. Boldness will be that which works your muscles to open your mouth to say the words that need to be said. Boldness is that which will allow us to receive the words that God can share with us to help the person sent our way to be blessed.

Yes, it may seem frightening now, but it is simply a trust issue of deciding we want to be companions with Christ. It will then become a great blessing to us to do what God wants. Boldness leads us away from the dull and boring!

PRAYER: Come, Lord of life and light. Make me bold for Your sake and kingdom. Share with me that which I need to be your servant. Let me be a blessing to You and to Yours. I pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.

Please continue to pray about those whom you will invite to our open house. The ads from the UMC are running on several cable channels and they're great! Folks are going to come! Let's be ready to love and welcome them!

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.